My top five Christmas albums (in no particular order):

A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector
The Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas
Leon Redbone - Christmas Island
The Chieftains - The Bells of Dublin
Ella Fitzgerald - Wishes You a Swinging Christmas

They're all great, really. I'll always think of my junior year of college, and how my friend Sarah was so excited that the music from the Peanuts Christmas album was out on CD. I still have the Bart Simpson ornament she gave me that year.

Also during college I used to steal the Chieftains album from Matt every year until I finally bought it during a weekend getaway with an old girlfriend in Lake Geneva.

The tree is decorated. My spirits are lifted. There's nothing like actually getting out the lights and ornaments and hanging them on the tree. Lots of memories.

I like how the tree leans to the left a little. Get it? Leans to the left? I'm dreaming of a liberal Christmas!

The figures to your right were a gift from last year's Christmas. I usually set up a little It's a Wonderful Life village scene, but this year I'm going with good old Charlie Brown. How I love him.

My place is way too small for proper decorations, and it's a real mess right now what with all the green tubs and displaced furniture. But it works.

Now it's time to start putting presents under the tree.

Hmm. And maybe some mistletoe under the door. Just in case.